Come Away With Me
by Iguana23
Summary: She had seen places like this before, somewhere in those movies she loved to curl up at night to. Where the unsuspecting female was lured into danger, precariously set into what would be a passion play for both predator and prey. Eriol/Kaho


A/N: Really proud of this one. I think my long patience over it might have been what fueled me to continue it. I finally have the time to share it now. And Kaho/Eriol needs more love.

For those who were wondering, this is pre-manga. Even before Sakura discovered the cards.

(I do not own Card Captor Sakura, in any shape or form. It is CLAMP's wonderful creation.)

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She found herself just as planned, alone and vulnerable, under the waning moonlight, hands tucked daintly under her elegant silk coat. Kaho had worn it as a gesture, feeling her coming invitation was indeed more than she was expecting. The sudden request had startled her at first, but she delightfully reminded herself of one factor, the single reason why her studies trip had been worthwhile.

Winter time was lovely in the streets of London. The snow tuffed in little roofs of cottages and buildings in splendouring icy rays. The streets sparkled under the night sky, each little star marked by the cristal image of ice. The bare lilac trees needed no pity for their season, the snow had sprinkled softly in their branches, making the pale dust float with each passing breeze.

The image had reminded her of the all too familiar routine of the cherry blossom in her childhood, the tree of life in Tsukimine Shrine. She let her mind rest on her homeland briskly, as her glance turned back to the house before her. The delicate ancient metalwork on the gates protected what seemed to be a large front area, populated by remarkable kinds of pine trees and willows. Each larger than the other, some in assortments together, making the scene look like a Christmas card sent to a loved one. The large frozen pond in the middle only added to its loveliness, as the frost sparkled harmoniously with its nature.

She smiled. Tiny white snowflakes fluttered down from the sky, adorning her half-open eyes, as she admired the quiet beauty of her surroundings. In all the time she had stayed, a mere five weeks, she knew she had been looking for a place like this all along. Somewhere where it reminded her of the serenity of the small forest, its misterious spirits, the fortune pond and the fireflies, dancing in the quiet solitude of the spring moon. She suddenly felt rather thankful for being brought to this place, whatever fortune had predicted it before.

Cuddling in her coat just a little tighter, she took her steps slowly across the front yard.

And her eyes widened. The home in the middle was vast, well cared and timeworm, as rooms stretched across the second floor, along with pretty little white balconies and sanded stone. The two story windows were white with frost, the edges gleaming. And a crafted wooden door stood in front with the emblem of an old family she did not recognize in the front, proudly bearing the house's ownership.

Her hand reached for the handle, impulsively curious.

It creeped open, almost with no physical force. She had seen places like these before, somewhere in those mystery movies she loved to curl up at night to. Where the unsuspecting female was lured into danger, precariously set into what would be a passion play for both predator and prey. Where whispers, as intoxicating as they were tragic, would invade her mind and ensnare the soul.

But the atmosphere was different. Warm, ancient, and inviting. She took one more look back into the front yard and quickly returned back to the front.

No, it would be safe here. Kaho felt the urge to partake in the quest predetermined for her.

Absurd. Her mind must have been playing games. Or was it a hunch? Her intuition never failed her, to this day.

She peered inside the hallways once, twice, left and right, breathing in the pleasant old smell of the air.

And then she noticed the image of a large rustic living room took place of the view in front. It had been decored so the owner would obviously have time to engage in quiet study and concentration. Bookshelves ranged from petite to tall ran through the left wall, brimming with texts. Both old and mysterious.

The silence was almost unnatural.

She felt attracted to them, as her heels lighty tapped through the room. Her fingers trailed through the books' backs. She had never heard of the titles, of course. Much of these must have been over 200 years old. But they were all so pretty, not exactly colorful, yes, but their intricate designs on the covers were made to allow the reader gaze at the design before engaging in the content. One particular one had caught her eye. It had birds, mythical birds, fluttering among rose bushes from the corners to the middle of the cover. They had all been engraved with some sort of metal, so that their details were alive. She felt the shapes with her fingertips, so well made. Not like the mundane little things of present time.

And as the minutes passed, she found herself sitting quietly in a nearby table, skimming through all these books, as a girl finding treasure in an empty castle. Some of them had been written in Old English, she noticed, by the foreign words she had never heard of in all her years of mastering the language. She struggled with some of the texts. Others, surprisingly, were closer to home.

Chinese, from the looks of it. She recognized some of the characters, pointing with her finger and breathing them out loud. The contents were dark, powerful and mystical. She shuddered, only engaging more curiously into what the writer had meant. They were incantations, spells, and charms. Magic. Ancient magic.

"I'm glad to see you so interested in my humble library." A familiar voice struck her suddenly.

She looked up, as he had stepped in the room. Her little mannerisms were that of a child who had just been caught committing a wrongdoing. She crept back into her chair, eyeing him embarrassingly.

There he had been all along. Watching her from a curious distance. She had a feeling he had anticipated this, but just how much he had expected from her startled her a little.

He smiled, pleasantly. Kaho continued to stare back, her fingers fidgeting a little over the books.

Again, he grinned even wider. Eriol always had a playful way of seeing things.

"I was expecting you."

"I didn't mean to…" Kaho quickly took the moment to apologize, standing from the chair.

He reacted immediately, putting one finger up. "No. Don't worry about it. Your love for the unknown has always intrigued me." He chuckled. "So, I'm assuming it would be fine to ask for your feedback?"

"I…I can't believe it." Kaho confessed. "These books must be ancient. And the content is unlike anything I have seen."

He radiated again, Kaho looking down meekly. The conversation was getting strange.

Particular. Definitely particular. She knew the boy in front of her must have been not much older than 11. But he wasn't…ordinary. She had grasped that idea from the moment she saw him. He was wise, exceptionally astute for someone his age. And even in all her years, she had never met anyone of any age with so much perception.

He noticed things quickly. And it was almost like he foreshadowed it, everything that would happen in the future. Maybe that was why she was so attracted to him, why she chose to come to this strange old house.

He suddenly cleared his throat, making a small little bow of respect.

"Pardon me. I had forgotten to ask you if you needed something. I have some friends upstairs who are making tea if you are cold."

Kaho blinked. So there were others as well.

"Yes. I wouldn't mind something to drink."

He closed his eyes, the warmth of his smile comforting her and led her up a wooden staircase, the dim light of candles teasing their skin.


End file.
